Edinburgh weather in August
Temperature, sea and sunshine in August: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in August
Good
Best time to visit: July – August
What is the weather like in Edinburgh in August?
In August, Edinburgh is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 14.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 14 rainy days and 75 mm in total. All in all, August is a good month for a holiday in Edinburgh.
August compared
How the weather changes from July to September. Tap a month to open it.
| JulyJul | AugustAug | SeptemberSep | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 64 | 63 | 56 |
| Day | 18° | 17° | 15° |
| Night | 12° | 12° | 10° |
| Sea | 14° | 15° | 14° |
| Sun | 5 h | 5 h | 4 h |
| Rain days | 14 | 14 | 11 |
More details for August
- Daylight
- 15 h 11 min05:42 – 20:53
- UV index
- 5 · moderateclear sky, noon (estimate)
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 19 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 74 %on average
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 0 days1 cm or more of fresh snow
- Time zone
- UTC+1Europe/London
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %93 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %35 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %31 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in August
- Sunscreen
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Edinburgh in August: quick answers
Is Edinburgh hot in August?
No. In August, Edinburgh is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C and nights drop to about 12 °C.
Can you swim in Edinburgh in August?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in August the sea averages just 14.5 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
Does it rain much in Edinburgh in August?
Rain is frequent, with about 14 rainy days and 75 mm in total.
Edinburgh month by month
The whole year in EdinburghAll destinations: United Kingdom
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)